Sleep

Sleep is vital! If you don’t regularly get a good nights sleep it can be detrimental to your health and ability to function. It is particularly important during exam time to do your best to get the rest you need.  Sleep deprivation is common in teenagers and can lead to poor concentration and inability to remember things, that is not what you need during your exams! So here are some tips to help based on research from the Sleep Clinic:

-Keep a clean and tidy sleeping environment, regularly clean your bedding and keep the room clutter free, you will be surprised at the difference this can make!

-Create a ‘wind down’ routine and include it into your daily schedule, about two hours before you want to go to bed. This should involve finishing up any chores, socialising, studying or games within the first hour and the second hour should consist of relaxing, slow paced ‘wind down’ activities before bed. Having a bath, reading and avoiding electronic devices will help.

-Avoid screens! The light emitted from screens such as that on your phone have been proven time and time again to be detrimental to your sleep. In fact, looking at a screen can double the time it takes you to actually fall asleep. So if you take a long time to nod off….this could be something to consider.

-If you struggle to fall asleep at night, try and pin point the reasons. Stress and worry are huge sleep killers so try and talk about anything that is worrying you with your family or someone you trust. Writing down the things that worry you can also be a good exercise to practice.

- Avoid caffeine and sugary food and drinks in the afternoon.

-If you struggle to sleep during the light summer nights try using a sleeping mask or investing in some blackout curtains.

Sleep is your time. It is your time every day to reset, relax and recharge so make sure the whole experience, from deciding it is time to go to bed soon to waking up, is as pleasant as possible for you.

The benefits of creating a daily sleep regime to get a good sleep will help you dramatically and reset your body clock. It may seem strange at first but you will feel the benefits almost instantly. Lack of sleep can cause you to feel down and stressed, cause mood swings and make learning and retaining information far more difficult. So take sleep seriously and you will not regret it!